Stock-car



(No Modell) 5 Sheena-'sheet 1.

BURTON STOCK GAR Patented Deo. 13, 1887.

N. PETERS Pbowumogmphar, wnshingmn, D4 t;

' l 5 Sheet's-k-Sheet 2. Y' G; D BU-RTON. STOCK. GAR. l ,824.- Pateined Deo. 1s, 1887.

(No Model.)

N. PETERS. HwlLilhngnpher. wlshlngun. DAC.

(No MudeL) 5 sheets-'smet 4.

G.D.BUPT0N`.

sTooK GAR..- No. 374,824. l Patented Dec. 13, 1887.

.(No Modell.) 5 sheets-sheen 5.

G. D. BURTON.

"STOGK GAR. No. 374,824. I Patented Dem-13, 1887.

@zege $303 f aZgEU-far.

vUrnrrnr) l STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. BURTON, OF-NEW IPSWICH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,824, dated December 13, 1887.

Application filed March 22, 1887. Serial No. 231,980. (No model.)

To rtZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Ipswich, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stock- Cars, of which4 the following is so full, clear, and exact a description as will enable others skilled in the art to 'which my invention'appertains to xnakeland use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car in which are embodied my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the top of the car removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 4 is also a vertical section showing a water-tank in position. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the sliding troughs and hollow posts and guides therefor. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section of the tank shown in Fig. 4, and this view is taken on the line x x of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is avertical section of the car, showing a sliding trough and its counterbalancingweights. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the locking device for holding the trough in position. Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section of my car, showing a partition in the water-tank to counteract the force of the water as the car is swayed from side to side. Fig. 11 is another View of a locking device for holding the trough in position when it is down. Fig. 12 is a de-v tail view of a portion ofthe top of the car, showing suitable staples for hitching and other purposes. Fig. 13 is a transverse section of the car, showing most clearly the pipe D, which.

is used for a waterconductor and a ventilating-iue, and also to receive the cables and weights of the sliding troughs. Fig. 14 is an additional detail of the same.

The object of my invention is to construct a stock-car in whichthe stock may be accommodated to the best possible advantage, and at the same time leave the greatest amount of space in the car for the attendant and for the storing of articles which it may be desired to carry with the stock, such as hay, grain, har-4 nesses, saddles, and other appurtenances.

Another object of my invention is to construct a car in whichv the water may be carried in the tank within the car without liability of racking or straining the carto any great extent in rounding curves, crossing switches, and passing over frogs, Src.

Another object of my invention is to construct a car in which the animals may be easily taken from their stalls, in order to facilitate the cleaning of the stalls and the grooming o f the animals in the car.

Another object of my invention is to construct a car which shall be complete in everyv respect, and at the same time have few or no detachable fixtures exposed within the car.

Heretofore great difficulty has .been experi- 6 5 enced in all improved stoclccars, because of their internal fixtures being exposed'to view and easily removable, which resulted in their being robbed of their fixtures by the thieves which abound about large freight-depots and 7o stock-yards.

In the accompanying drawings, A' dcsig'- nates the main car-body.

B is a central partition which divides two central series of stalls, C C, which stalls have 7 5 at their outer ends a trough, E, whichtrough slides vertically in upright standards D,which standards are made hollow to receive and accommodate weights F F, which are supported by cords G G, one` end of which cords is se- 8o cured to the trough, while the other end supports the Weight F. These troughs are adapted to slide freely within the guides H H on the outer edges of the vertical posts D. The troughs are securely locked in position by. S5 locking devices J, one of which consists of an ordinary pin having a cord or chain attached thereto, while the other consists of an eccentric gravity-latch pivotally secured in such a position that it will fall by its own gravity 9o across the slot H and hold the trunnion e of the trough against accidental displacement vertically.

K designates a water-tank which is adapted to receive and accommodate from six to ten 95 barrels of water, as occasion may require, and

is also adapted to confine the water in such a way as to prevent the straining or wrenching of the car to any appreciable extent. This is effected by constructing it conical, makiug'it roo taper'toward its outer ends, as shown in Fig.

4, orby providing it with a central partition, K, provided with perforations k lc, as shown in Fig. 10. The perforated partition K is sei cured to the bottom of the tank by bolts or rivets Z Z, and is secured at its-upper outer ends by other bolts, Z',which pass through the perfo ration min a lug, n, on the plate K. The tank should be firmly braced and held in position within the car, and this is eiected by diagonal stays L L when the tank is made as shown in Fig. 10, or by the supports L L', which pass around thelower end ofthe tank, as shown in Fig. 4 and in detail in Fig. 7.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the stock are taken into the car and backed into the stalls before the troughs are lowered in place in front of the animals. The

troughs will hold the animals in place and prevent them from getting out; but when additional security is desired the chains or other cables a a may be used as an addit-ional protection against accidental escape of the animals from the stalls. Another advantage of these sliding troughs, and one which is greatly appreciated by shippers, is that it enables the shipper to slide the trough up entirely out of the way of the animal at such times as it i's desirable to have the animal lie down. lThe trough can thus be shoved up to the top of the car and the animal can lie down and get up at will without liability ot' bumping its head or becoming bruised about its head and shoulders, as is quite liable to be the case, owing to the constant and irregular motion of the cars and the strangeness to the animalof the situation, as the chains ct a will be all that is necessary to hold the animalagainst escape from the stall.

The water-tank is provided with a supplypipe, M, which has a cock or faucet, N, and beneath this cock or faucet in the aisle P is a trap, O, which allows the water to escape down through the said trap and the pipe 0, thus preventing freezing and accumulation of moisture at this point in the car, which would result in much discomfort and disadvantage.

Each car-door is provided with the usual grating, R, 'and the central portion of the car may or may not be provided with a window, S. The grating R is closed by a lining, T, which is provided with a ventilatingopening, t, as shown in Fig. l. Where each individual anilnal is provided with a trough, the hollow posts D are provided with a central partition, D, which prevents the tangling and twisting of the weights and their cords, but throughout the structure the weights are entirely concealed by the casings of the hollowpartitions D.

By reference to Fig.v2 it will be observed that in some instances I design to provide a shelf, U, which is designed to be hinged to the side of the car and may be dropped down to.

form a berth for the attendant, or the attendant may suspend a hammock or other swinging support for himself 4within the space between the heads of the two series of animals at either end of the car,whcre he can swing easily within the car without jarring and from which position he can leave his berth instantly and hasten directly to the head of anyanimal in the car without encountering any obstruction in his passage in the car. This may be done by securing a berth to the staples V V, of which there should be two, one at each side of the car about centrally between the lines of the heads ofthe animals at one end of the car. At the upper junction ofthe upright standardD, Which'comes neXt the door, I also provide a staple, V', which may be used as a hitchingring when it is desired to take an animal out into the space in front of the mangers or .feedtroughs for grooming or other purposes. Two of these staples might be provided at each opposite upper corner of the door diagonally opposite each other and the hammock suspended within this space diagonally across the space, thus avoiding the necessity of providing a staple in the central portion, which might possibly hit a horses head as he was being led to and from the car.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that I construct this car with a view to securing the greatest amount of strength from the material used. At each end I provide two diagonal braces, W W, which come to a point at the bottom directly'over the transom of thev truck. In the center of the car I have an inverted V, composed ofthe two slanting timbers Y Y, the center of which is at the center of the upper portion of the car. This holds the car up at the top in the center, andthe downward strain which comes upon the two diagonal piecesY Y is brought directly over the support of the truss-planks Z Z, which aresupported by the truss-rods n. From the bottom of each of these bracesY Y extend upward and toward the end of the car the braces d d, which transmit the strain from the upper inner central portion of the car direct to the truss-planksZ Z, which are supported centrally by the truss-rods n, as above explained.

In the specification and claims I shall des ignate that end which comes next the open space between the horses heads and between the opening door-sin each side ofthe car, mid- IOO way between the center and the end of the f t construction of a stock-car on the plan shown and described, in which the animals are led into the ear and backed into the stalls, is broadly new, as heretofore the animals have been led directly intothe stalls, which has necessitated much waste space within the stockcar, and which in this instance I have made valuable as space for storing articles, and in which the attendant may move freely through the car in front of and about the stock.

In the aisle-space l?, near the upper portion IIS of the car and at either side said space, I provide a series of hooks, p p, upon which may be hung harness, saddles, articles of clothing, and other equipments.

By reference to Figs. 13 and 14 it will be observed that I use one side of my pipe D as a conductor of water from thewatertank down to the faucet, while the other side ofthe pipe serves as a tlue for foul air,which escapes from the point s up into and through the pipe and out of the top at r, which is covered by a hood. Below the point s the pipe is broken away and is adapted to register with a perforation, s', which allows the waste water to escape through the perforation and through the bottom portion of that side of the pipe which forms the ue for the escape ofthe foul air.

- By reference to Fig. 14 it will be observed that the side s2, through which the water is conducted, would come next to the sideof the stall in the car, which would make it difficult to get the water out of this portion s2 through the faucet outinto the aisle space. I overcome this difficulty by a curved pipe, t', as shown .more clearly in Fig. 14. y

By reference to Fig. 11 it will be observed l that the locking-key J has an inclined side, j.

.By pivoting this key on an eccentric the trunnion of the trough E will crowd the lockingkey .I back a sufficient distance to allow the trunnion to pass through the slot underneath the locking-key J, when said key will by its own gravity drop back into position over the trunnion, where it will remain and prevent the trough from accidental displacement vertically.

The hollow uprights D, provided with a central partition, D', are of great advantage to the car in that they add strength lto the car without materially adding to its weight.

It is obvious that pivotal bars, or bars which are not pivoted, might be used in place of my cables a a, which would in a measure effect the same purpose which is effected by the use of these cables, without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is also obvious that thetroughs may be removable from the rear ends of the stalls, or they might be hinged to be pivotally moved to and from position at the rear ends of the stalls, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the eX- act construction of trough in this connection.

A great advantage of the construction shown and described lies inthe fact that by means of the construction hereinbefore described an admirable system of ventilation is secured, in that air is admitted and allowed to freely circulate through the spaces in the car between the animals, directly infront ofthem, without exposing them to drafts from the rear or side.

From the foregoing it will be observed that in a car constructed on the plans which I have described and shown there will be a clear uninterrupted space in front of every animal, and there will be also a Vclear uninterrupted gangway from any animal in t-he car to any other animal in the car, which will enable the attendant to hasten yfrom one animal to the other to quiet them or to adjust any1 of the fixtures, or to perform any services which might be required should the stock become excitable K or nervous from any cause whatever, at the same time affording him ready and easy access to every animal to feed and Water theanimal without the necessity of the attendants climbing 'over any partitions or crawling through any doors or gates, as is necessary in getting from one portion ofthe car to the other in the cars now in use.

Having now described the objects, uses, andl to face on opposite sides ofthe space, substantially as specified. g u

2. In a stock-car, the main body provided with stalls and sliding troughs situated at the open ends of the said stalls, substantially as described, whereby the loading of the car is effected by backing the stock into the stalls.

3. In a stock-car of the character described, the combination of the main car-body, the stalls situated therein, and troughs at the rear of said stalls, substantially as and for the pur poses hereinbefore described.

4. In a stock-car, the main body provided with stalls, in combination with hitching-cables and troughs at the rear of said stalls, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a stock-car of the character described, the main body having stalls at each end,which are provided with troughs at their rears, and

central stalls provided with troughs which roo IIO

come directly in front of the troughs'of the stalls at the ends of the car, in combination with doors provided with ventilators which open into the aisle space between the troughs, all constructed substantially as described, whereby a Ventilating current or draft may be secured directly through the car in front of the stock without liability of a direct draft on the rear or sides of the stock, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a,stock-car, the combination,with the main car-body, of thestalls located at either end and in the center of the said car-body in such a manner that aisle-spaces will be left between the end stalls and the center stalls, and a communicating aisle between the said aisles.

7. In a stock-car of the character described, the main body provided with a series of stalls at'each end,whichv are provided with troughs at their open ends, and central series of stalls located within the main body, in combination with an aisle-space which extends along the central portion of the car, forming a clear and uninterrupted passageway from the feedtrough of any animal within the car to the feed-trough of any other animal within the car, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. In a stocklcar, the Acombination of the series of stalls at each end ofthe car, extending entirely across the saine, and central series of stalls the sides of which terminate a suitable distance from theside ol' the car, so as to leave a passage-way between the end series of stalls, and a central partition dividing the central stalls into two series facing in opposite directions, feed-troughs situated at the open ends of the said stalls, and aisle spaces between the end and the central stalls.

9. In a stock-car of the character described, the main body provided with a conical-shaped tank, substantially as described, whereby the force of the momentum of the water as the car rocks laterally is counteracted, substantially as and for the 'purposes specified. i l y l0. In a stock-car, the main body provided with a series of stock-compartments, in combination with vertical hollow casings and vertically-sliding troughs provided with counterbalancingweights which slide up and down within the hollow casings and connecting with the feed-troughs by cables passing over pulleys, said casings being provided with vertical guides, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

l1. In a stock-car, the main body provided w-ith a series of stalls, in combination with vertical hollow uprights having a central partition and sliding troughs provided with counterbalancing-weights which slide within the hollow guides each side of the central partition within the guide, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

l2. In a car, the main body provided with diagonal braces at each end,coming toa point at the bottom directly over the transom of the truck, and the inverted V in the center of the sides of the car, composed of two slanting timbers, and the upright timbers crossing the diagonal ones, in combination with the trussplanks Z Z, supported centrally by the trussrods a, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

13. In a stock-car, the main body having stock compartments and vertical sliding trough, in combination with a pivoted locking-key having an inclined front and a vertical rear face, so that its lowerrnost extremity tremity, whereby thetrunnion of the trough will crowd this key back and the said key automatically return to its normal position when the trunnion has passed, in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

14. In a car of the character described', the combination, with the main body, of the vertical-post D, having a hood at the top central portion and a perforation at its lower portion, one side of which post is adapted toreceive a pipe passing from the water-tank, and the other sideserving as a conductor for foul air, which enters through the perforation and passes up and out through the side of the post, substantiall y as described.

In testimony that I claim the above as my invention I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. D. BURTON.

Vitnesses:

LEWIS M. PAX'roN, CHARLEs E. BARBER.

,will be larger in diameter than its upper ex- 

